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Our key findings fall roughly into three high-level categories: 1) "top-down" changes (i.e., things that governments and/ or food and nutrition decision-makers must do) which are necessary to support small-scale fishers (SSFs) and better utilize the resources they are catching to help meet national and global food and nutrition goals; 2) "bottom-up" changes (i.e., things that fishery managers, scientists, and other local stakeholders must do); and 3) action items for the Summit. *Top-Down Changes*: ~Consider the fishing sector, and specifically the resources of small-scale fishers, as a key el... Read moreement in national and global nutrition policies. ~Emphasize the value of small-scale fishery resources for consumption and F&N needs, rather than for export -- find a way to value fishery resources in terms of micronutrients or mouths fed rather than pounds or dollars. Design policies to ensure aquatic foods are available at a fair price to the people who catch them. ~Engage and center SSF needs and perspectives in policy discussions and empower them to help shape decisions. ~Emphasize contributions of SSFs to local economies and formalize the sector. ~Break down siloes between production sectors – consider creation of a "Food Czar" to help bridge gaps. ~Design policies to align incentives for diversification of production and consumption to increase resilience to shocks and climate changes. ~Empower local groups to develop and implement policies locally through community-based management. ~Fund capacity building efforts and support innovations developed by SSFs seeking to build resilience and transition to nature-positive production systems. *Bottom-Up Changes*: ~Expand management "lens" and jurisdictions to encompass the whole food system – Look at production on a watershed scale, for example. And remember that humans are part of the ecosystem and must also be part of ecosystem management. ~Utilize data and traditional knowledge held by SSF communities. ~Strengthen SSFs’ role as protagonists through policies/initiatives/capacity building efforts to give them more agency and power. ~Improve access to tools and training programs that can enable SSFs to take control of their own businesses. ~Emphasize value over volume – and clarify value to *whom*, with a focus on equity – in management goals. ~Prepare for, don't just react to, climate change. Implement forward-looking management that develops and incorporates an understanding of the climate-driven changes expected (and being experienced) in a given community. ~Prioritize infrastructure and other supply chain improvements to improve resilience of small-scale fisheries. ~Seek to incorporate perspectives of marginalized racial, ethic and gender groups, and recognize that the groups that are marginalized will be different in each context, and thus tailored approaches are necessary. *Action Items for the Summit*: ~Ensure SSFs are represented in every Action Track. ~Emphasize the need to meaningfully incorporate aquatic resources into food and nutrition plans in order to reduce food insecurity and malnutrition and to improve the sustainability and lower the footprint of food production and consumption. Emphasize value of aquatic foods beyond just for protein. ~Highlight especially the potential value of small-scale fisheries in meeting these goals, as well as the specific challenges faced by small-scale fishing communities. ~Catalyze the commitment of funding and financing for "bottom-up" changes. ~Draw attention to economic policies and trade structures that are creating negative incentives, pushing SSF resources away from the groups who need them most. ~Rather than focusing on trade-offs, center human rights, livelihoods, and wellbeing of SSF communities in order to identify *synergies* between sustainability and food and nutrition goals. ~Address *social causes* of food waste, not just technical ones. ~Center climate change in all decisions and support SSF communities in preparing for climate change impacts with funding, capacity building initiatives, and increased access to data on impacts. ~Overcome the overwhelming incumbent emphasis on agriculture and terrestrial food systems → policymakers are not thinking about aquatic foods, let alone SSFs. These resources may be subsumed under broader food programs and thus ignored. ~Recognize the responsibility of the developed world to diversify fish consumption beyond the few species primarily eaten by wealthy consumers, to reduce food waste, and to support sustainably sourced seafood. Read less

Small-scale fishers are especially vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity as well as climate change impacts. Small-scale fisheries can also have an outsized role in meeting a country’s food and nutrition needs and goals because they catch species that are high in key missing micronutrients, and that are local, culturally appropriate, easy to store and transport, etc. However, current policies that treat fish primarily as a commodity to be exported undermine the ability of small-scale fishers to help meet this need. The aim of this Dialogue is to bring together representatives from SSF s... Read moreectors around the world with key decision-makers who think about fisheries management and food and nutrition policies in order to spur discussion on what can be done to better utilize and support small-scale fishers in national food and nutrition plans. Read less

Très peu de points de divergence ont apparu et ont été rapidement clarifiées grâce aux explications apportées par les facilitateurs et par certains participants.

Sujet 6 : Vision stratégique pour des systèmes alimentaires innovants et durables Question 7 : Quelle est votre vision stratégique en vue de transformer les systèmes alimentaires actuels en systèmes alimentaires innovants et durables Question 8 : Quelles sont vos attentes par rapport au Sommet des Nations Unies sur les Systèmes Alimentaires ? Résultats 6/6 : Vision stratégique pour des systèmes alimentaires innovants et durables - Parvenir à l’autosuffisance alimentaire sur les produits de base (riz , maïs, poisson, volaille..) d’ici à 2030 ; - Libérer le potentiel des bananes... Read more et plantains ainsi que des plantes à racines et tubercules - Réduire progressivement les importations de riz et de blé, et favoriser la production et la consommation des produits locaux - Accroitre significativement la production de céréales et du bétail pour instaurer la sécurité alimentaire dans le sahel - Accroitre significativement la production de soja, maïs, produits laitiers et volaille dans la zone de savane guinéenne - Accorder la priorité aux programmes agricoles sensibles à la nutrition - Les attentes par rapport au Sommet des Nations Unies sur les Systèmes Alimentaires : Prendre en compte les résultats de nos concertations, amplifier nos plaidoyers auprès de nos décider et des organismes d’appui au développement ; soutenir les organisations paysannes de l’Afrique Centrale Read less

Sujet 5. Prise en compte des femmes et des jeunes dans les investissements du secteur agricole Question 6 : Comment promouvoir un travail décent et durable pour les femmes et les jeunes dans l’agriculture ? Contraintes : - Implication limitée des femmes et des jeunes ruraux sur des questions d’intérêt concernant l'agriculture et faible accès au foncier. Résultats 5/6 : Prise en compte des femmes et des jeunes dans les investissements du secteur agricole - Promouvoir l'inclusion des jeunes et des femmes dans l’agriculture. Pour que l'agriculture en Afrique Centrale prospère, l'impl... Read moreication des jeunes et des femmes dans les systèmes agricoles et alimentaires est cruciale. Les femmes sont principalement le visage des petits exploitants agricoles et un lien direct avec la nutrition et la sécurité alimentaire des familles africaines et leurs conditions de subsistance durables. L'Afrique Centrale a la population la plus jeune du monde. La jeune main-d’œuvre souhaite s'engager dans un esprit d'entreprise innovant et rémunérateur et la croissance de la chaîne de valeur du système alimentaire crée des opportunités prometteuses pour les jeunes. - L'investissement dans des infrastructures améliorées, la mécanisation et les technologies peut jouer un rôle de catalyseur pour attirer les jeunes dans l'agriculture. - L’agriculture et les systèmes alimentaires doivent être traités comme des entreprises rentables et viables pour devenir plus attractifs pour les jeunes et les femmes africaines en pleine croissance. - Sensibiliser les jeunes pour changer leur mentalité et la perception qu’ils ont de l’agriculture - Investir dans les infrastructures rurales et sociales (routes, électricités, internet, airs de jeux, centres multimédias etc), pour maintenir les jeunes en milieu rural et les intéresser à l’agriculture - Mettre en œuvre des projets et des programmes spécifiques pour les femmes et les jeunes . Read less

Sujet 4. Financement agricoles Question 5 : L’un des plus grands défis auxquels les paysans en Afrique Centrale sont confrontés est l'accès au financement. Pourquoi ce défi persiste malgré toutes les interventions qui ont été mises en place pour résoudre ce problème et quelles sont vos suggestions pour améliorer cette situation ? Contraintes - Les carneaux des appuis ne permettent pas de contacter directement les paysans. Les fonds destinés initialement aux paysans passent par plusieurs intermédiaires. - Les institutions financières sont réticentes pour l’octroi des crédits ... Read moreaux organisations des producteurs. - On note aussi les coûts très élevés des taux d’intérêts et les services de la dette très lourds pour les paysans. - Les paysans et leurs organisations ne présentent toujours pas les garanties exigées par les institutions financières. - De plus, les services financiers offerts par ces institutions ne sont pas toujours adaptés aux besoins des paysans et du monde rural. Résultats 4/6 : Financement agricoles - Développer les outils et accroître l’accès aux services financiers adaptés au monde rural avec un taux d’intérêt acceptable à un chiffre : Un meilleur accès aux services financiers tels que le crédit, l'assurance et les mécanismes d'épargne financière peut aider tous les paysans, mais en particulier les petits paysans qui sont plus exposés au risque et ne disposent pas de sources alternatives de capital privé. Les services financiers peuvent aider à accroître la productivité à la ferme et le développement des entreprises tout au long des chaînes de valeur du système alimentaire en fournissant un mécanisme de gestion des risques, en investissant dans des technologies améliorées, en mécanisant les systèmes agricoles ou en se développant dans des entreprises plus viables ; - Les services d'assurance pourraient aider les paysans et les entreprises à gérer les risques, en particulier ceux associés aux conditions météorologiques, aux maladies des cultures et à d'autres facteurs imprévisibles dans l'agriculture. Il existe des synergies entre l'assurance et le crédit. Avec une assurance, les paysans peuvent être plus disposés à contracter des prêts bancaires et les banques plus disposées à accorder des prêts. Des projets pilotes pourraient être mis en œuvre pour tester des services d'assurance et des mécanismes d'accès adaptés aux besoins des paysans africains et des entreprises rurales. De plus, les gouvernements et le secteur privé peuvent aider à promouvoir ces services et éliminer les contraintes qui limitent leur disponibilité et leur accès. - Que les interventions en direction du monde rurale soient conformes aux priorités et les besoins réels des paysans. - Que chaque Etat constitue un fonds de garantie pour les crédits octroyés aux paysans et à leurs organisations Read less

Sujet 3 .Résilience aux changements climatiques et aux aux différents chocs ainsi que la préservation de biodiversité Question 3 : Quels sont les principaux leviers sur lesquels l’on peut agir pour promouvoir la productivité, la durabilité et la résilience aux différents chocs ? Question 4. Quels sont les éléments importants en matière de recherche-développement qui peuvent permettre d’obtenir des résultats efficaces et tangibles sur la préservation de la nature et la biodiversité (dans les domaines de la production et de la transformation) ? Contraintes - Le changement clim... Read moreatique, par exemple, influence à la fois la production alimentaire (par exemple en affectant les rendements des cultures et les niveaux de nutriments) et en résulte (puisque l'agriculture est une source d'émissions de gaz à effet de serre). - De nombreuses variétés de semences utilisées - qui sont souvent également recyclées plusieurs fois - ne résistent pas au changement climatique, l'agriculture étant encore largement pluviale et le temps devenant plus difficile à prévoir. Ces facteurs rendent la production agricole risquée pour les ménages ruraux. Néanmoins, la principale raison d'une plus grande utilisation de l'agriculture pluviale est son coût, en effet il est abordable par rapport au système d'irrigation qui est cher pour les petits paysans avec peu de terres et des ressources limitées. - En dépit de son fort potentiel, le secteur agricole en Afrique Centrale est confronté à une faible productivité et un faible rythme de croissance de la production des aliments aussi bien végétaux, animaux qu’halieutiques liées notamment au manque d’adéquation entre la demande et l’offre de recherche agricole. A cela s’ajoutent d’autres contraintes importantes portant sur : le financement de la recherche agricole ; - Faible vulgarisation des technologies innovantes et adaptées aux conditions agro écologiques des différents pays, conformément au pilier IV du PDDAA/NEPAD ; - Absence d’une mutualisation des ressources, des connaissances et des expériences des différents acteurs de la recherche et développement agricole en Afrique Centrale ; et faible mécanisme de dialogue et de concertation permanente entre la recherche et les organisations des producteurs qui permettraient de débattre des questions importantes sur le développement durable des systèmes alimentaires en Afrique Centrale Résultats 3/6. Résilience aux changements climatiques et aux aux différents chocs ainsi que la préservation de biodiversité - Plaider pour la recherche et le développement agricoles axés sur la demande - Accroître les investissements dans la recherche agricole - Renforcer et soutenir les cadres de concertations OP-Recherche en Afrique Centrale - Développer et transférer aux producteurs les technologies agricoles innovantes et résilientes aux changements climatiques et aux chocs environnementaux Read less

Sujet 2 : La production des aliments sains et nutritifs en quantité et respectueuse de l’environnement Question 2 : Certains des plus grands défis pour lesquels sont confrontés les agriculteurs sont les difficultés d’accès aux intrants qualité, aux moyens de production et de transformation des produits agricoles (végétaux, animaux, halieutiques, sylvicoles). Pourquoi ces défis persistent toujours malgré toutes les interventions réalisées à ce jour ? Quelles sont vos suggestions pour améliorer cette situation ? Contraintes - Faible disponibilité et utilisation d'intrants agri... Read morecoles de bonne qualité, entrainant une faible productivité qui conduit à des coûts de production et de vente élevés des produits alimentaires ; Résultat : accroitre la disponibilité et l’accessibilité des agriculteurs aux intrants ; - Faibles ressources allouées à la recherche-développement et absence de liens entre la recherche-développement et les acteurs de la chaine d’approvisionnement alimentaire, ce qui est à l’origine d’un nombre très limité de recherche et développement agricoles axés sur la demande ; Résultat : plaider pour l’augmentation des ressources dédiées à la recherche-développement et renforcement des liens entre la recherche-développement et les acteurs de la chaine d’approvisionnement alimentaire ; - La faiblesse et/ou la déficience des infrastructures physiques (eau, électricité, routes, entrepôts et équipements marchands,….), ainsi que les infrastructures immatérielles ; - La faible vulgarisation des technologies innovantes et adaptées aux conditions agro écologiques des différents pays ; - Faibles capacités (techniques, organisationnelles, et en gestion…) des acteurs de la chaine d’approvisionnement alimentaire (végétale, animale, halieutique) – production ; entreposage et distribution ; transformation et conditionnement ; vendeurs et consommateurs, en ce qui concerne la qualité et la sécurité des aliments. Résultats 2/6 : La production des aliments sains et nutritifs en quantité et respectueuse de l’environnement 1. L’accès aux intrants et plus particulièrement aux semences de bonne qualité et sains constitue un axe important pour aéméliorer la capacité de production. Des solutions développées : - L’accompagnement à la production de semences saines à l’échelle locale, nationale ou par bassin de production ; - Le développement et la consolidation des circuits d’achat de semences et d’intrants auprès de fournisseurs privés ; - La mise en relation des producteurs avec les multiplicateurs des semences, et de fournisseurs d’intrants ; - La disponibibilité des variétés demandées sur le marché ; - Exonération des frais de douane pour les intrants agricoles par les états. 2. Amélioration de la production : Pour faire face aux pressions croissantes des maladies sur les cultures et aux difficultés d’accès à l’eau, plusieurs actions doivent être menées : - Mise en place et/ou consolidation des dispositifs de conseils agricoles efficaces au service des producteurs ; - Diffusion d’itinéraires techniques adaptés aux différents systèmes de production et renforcement des compétences techniques des producteurs et des dispositifs d’appui technique ; - Promotion des pratiques agro-écologiques (engrais organiques, biopesticides, utilisation limitée et raisonnée d’intrants chimiques…) favorisant les systèmes de production durables et adaptés au changement climatique. Les bonnes pratiques et outils pédagogiques (manuels techniques, vidéos…) pourront être partagés et diffusés ; - La maitrise des maladies ; - La sensibilisation et la bonne maitrise des gestes sanitaires pour limiter la propagation des maladies (rotation de cultures, accès aux semences de bonne qualité et saines, gestion de l’eau…). - Accroissement du soutien aux organisations paysannes afin qu’elles renforcent les capacités (techniques, organisationnelles, et en gestion…) des acteurs des chaines de valeurs agricoles ; 3. Construire les infrastructures rurales et améliorer l’accès au marché Les infrastructures rurales feraient prendre conscience aux paysans de leur capacité à produire davantage pour le marché et à s’organiser en vue de développer les chaines de valeurs ag Read less

L’axe centrale de nos concertations (nationales et régionale) a été la présentation des systèmes alimentaires actuelles, suivie de l’organisation à partir d’un questionnaire, de débats (en groupes et en plénières) sur la promotion des systèmes de production alimentaires innovants et durables, respectueux de la nature pour créer des emplois, sécuriser les moyens de subsistance des petits exploitants agricoles familiaux. Ces débats ont permis de mener une réflexion profonde sur les forces, faiblesses, menaces et opportunités des systèmes alimentaires actuelles ainsi que les... Read more défis et enjeux qui se présentent pour leur transformation d’ici à 2030. Les échanges et débats ont été centrés sur les systèmes alimentaires innovants et résilients, et la promotion d’un meilleur accès et un travail décent pour les femmes et les jeunes. Sur la base d’un questionnaire, les réflexions ont porté sur les sujets relatifs aux politiques agricoles, la production, les infrastructures rurales, l’accès au marché, le financement et l’investissement dans le secteur agricole, l’accès au foncier, l’accès à un travail décent pour les femmes et les jeunes dans l’agriculture, les changements climatiques. Cet exercice a permis d’écouter toutes les parties prenantes a abouti aux constats et résultats suivants : Sujet 1 : Les politiques agricoles Question 1 : Les politiques nationales et régionales en matière de production et de transformation sont-elles favorables au développement du secteur agricole et la transformation durable des systèmes alimentaires ? Contraintes : - L’absence de politiques agricoles volontaristes soucieuses de la préservation de l’environnement et de la biodiversité et répondant aux besoins nutritionnels. - Le Faible investissement par les Etats dans la production agricole en Afrique Centrale conduit à une faible production et à des cultures de moins bonne qualité et souvent moins nutritives. Ce qui rend les aliments locaux moins compétitifs par rapport aux importations alimentaires subventionnées. - La faiblesse des budgets que les Etats de l’Afrique Centrale allouent au secteur agricole ; - La faible implication des agriculteurs dans l’élaboration, l’exécution et le suivi des politiques agricoles. - La faible intégration des producteurs dans les chaînes de valeurs qui affecte le développement et la performance de l'ensemble du secteur. - Le Faible accès des petits producteurs, notamment les femmes et les jeunes à la propriété foncière sécurisée dû à la faiblesse dans la gouvernance foncière dans plusieurs pays. Résultats 1/6 : Les politiques agricoles - Plaidoyer par les organisations paysannes dans chaque pays envers les décideurs politiques pour une augmentation des locations budgétaires dédiées au secteur agricole ; que chaque Etat d’Afrique Centrale consacre au moins 10% de son budget au secteur agricole, conformément aux engagements pris dans les Déclarations de Maputo en 2003 et de Malabo en 2014, afin de mieux promouvoir les systèmes de production alimentaires innovants et durables, respectueux de la nature et une plus grande implication des agriculteurs dans l’élaboration, l’exécution et le suivi des politiques agricoles - Améliorer la gouvernance foncière pour les régimes fonciers et les droits fonciers favorables aux agriculteurs et particulièrement les femmes et les jeunes. - Renforcement des capacités et des compétences des producteurs pour une meilleure implication et leur participation dans l’élaboration, l’exécution et le suivi des politiques agricoles - Prendre en compte les questions relatives au genre dans l’élaboration et l’exécution des projets/programmes agricoles et mobiliser des ressources internes pérennes en vue du soutien à long terme des projets destinés aux agriculteurs, principalement aux jeunes et aux femmes. Read less

Recommandations au plan politique et institutionnel : (i) Plaider pour que chaque Etat d’Afrique Centrale consacre au moins 10% de son budget au secteur agricole, conformément aux engagements pris dans les Déclarations de Maputo en 2003 et de Malabo en 2014, afin de mieux promouvoir les systèmes de production alimentaires innovants et durables, respectueux de la nature ; (ii) Plaider pour le régime foncier et les droits fonciers favorables aux agriculteurs et particulièrement les femmes et les jeunes, l’accès à la terre sécurisée afin d’inciter aux investissements ; (iii) Instau... Read morerer un environnement des affaires propice à la transformation des produits agricoles, à travers la mise en place de législations et règlementations efficientes à même de promouvoir un développement de l’agro-industrie piloté par le secteur privé , y compris les exploitants agricoles familiaux, le renforcement des capacités institutionnelles pour l’élaboration et la mise en œuvre des politiques et des programmes, ainsi que pour leur suivi et évaluation. Recommandations au plan opérationnel : (i) Accroître la productivité à travers la diffusion à large échelle de technologies innovantes pour le développement des systèmes production alimentaires résilients aux changements climatiques et promouvoir l’agro-écologie ; (ii) Investir dans la recherche-développement axée sur la demande ; (iii) Accroître des financements destinés aux investissements dans les infrastructures physiques (eau, électricité, routes, entrepôts et équipements marchands,….) et renforcer les capacités de production et de transformation ; (iv) Promouvoir la digitalisation des chaînes de valeur agricoles et alimentaires ; (v) Promouvoir et mobiliser des flux de financements adaptés ciblant les besoins des exploitants agricoles familiaux à travers entre autres, l’institution de facilités de financement structurées pour attirer des capitaux privés (y compris institutionnels) vers la transformation des produits locaux, et la promotion de l’inclusion financière ; (vi) Plaider pour la mobilisation des ressources internes pérennes en vue du soutien à long terme des projets destinés aux agriculteurs, principalement aux jeunes et aux femmes ; (vii) Plaider pour une meilleure coordination des activités des différents acteurs intervenant dans le secteur et promouvoir la cohérence des objectifs et engagements communs, ainsi que des plans d’intervention et de l’allocation des ressources. (viii) Capitaliser et diffuser les bonnes pratiques dans les systèmes alimentaires au niveau national, régional, continental ; (ix) Accroître le soutien aux OP à l’échelle nationale et régionale, pour transformer les systèmes agroalimentaires innovants et durables. Recommandation transversale : Plaidoyer pour mettre fin aux conflits socio-politiques, protéger les populations contre l’insécurité, et renforcer les systèmes de santé et de protection des populations vulnérables face aux crises sanitaires. Read less

Le Dialogue indépendant des organisations paysannes d’Afrique Centrale sur les systèmes alimentaires organisé par la PROPAC porte sur la piste d’action 4 : Promouvoir des moyens de subsistance équitables et sur le thème : « Promouvoir les systèmes de production alimentaires innovants et durables, respectueux de la nature pour créer des emplois, sécuriser les moyens de subsistance des petits exploitants agricoles familiaux ». Ce dialogue s’est déroulé en deux phases : (a) La 1ère phase s’est tenue le 27 mai 2021 dans cinq (05) pays : Cameroun, Congo, RCA, Tchad et RDC. Ces ... Read moreconsultations nationales se sont déroulées en présentiel (dans le strict respect des mesures barrières contre la Covid-19) dans le strict respect des principes d’engagement prescrits par les Nations-Unies. Elles avaient pour but de recueillir les avis pertinents des agriculteurs (agriculteurs, éleveurs, pêcheurs et sylviculteurs) et de leurs organisations sur le thème ci-dessus mentionné. Les consultations regroupaient chacune en moyenne 35 participants. Au terme de ces consultations, chaque pays a transmis son compte-rendu au coordonnateur régional, pour la consolidation et la synthèse. Ces comptes rendus ont été par la suite synthétisés de manière à refléter les objectifs du Sommet (b) La 2ème phase s’est tenue en vidéo-conférence à la PROPAC à Yaoundé le 28 mai 2021. Elle regroupait, les Leaders d’organisations paysannes et des producteurs des dix (10) pays d’Afrique Centrale, les représentants des institutions partenaires de la PROPAC (FIDA, FAO, CEMAC, Forum Rural Mondial), les facilitateurs nationaux, ainsi que le personnel technique de la PROPAC. Il s’agissait au cours de cette concertation, de procéder à la restitution des recommandations issues des Dialogues Indépendants nationaux, de les consolider, de mettre en cohérence, ensuite de les faire valider par toutes les parties prenantes en vue de l’élaboration d’un Document de Proposition des OP d’Afrique Centrale. Les formats utilisés sont ceux qui ont été prescrits par le Système des Nations-Unies. Les discussions ont touché différents domaines : politique, législatif, environnemental, genre, finances, et opérationnels, en se basant sur les expériences des acteurs des chaînes de valeur alimentaire et agricole, et en s’appuyant sur les connaissances endogènes des producteurs /trices, la documentation de la FAO sur les Systèmes Alimentaires, le rapport d’étude de la PAFO sur les systèmes alimentaires etc). Ces discussion et échanges ont finalement aboutit à un partage collectif des réflexions sur chacun des sujets abordés, et à la synthèse des résultats qui sera mise à la disposition de tous ceux qui participent à la préparation du Sommet. Read less

(Topic 2): How can the SeaBOS science-industry model help support the seafood industry, its value chain and policy makers to take action towards accelerating more sustainable seafood production? - Science-industry collaboration is “crucial”, “very important” and “essential”. - Representing 10% of global seafood production, SeaBOS can create ripple effects through the value chain, as the companies start to implement measures for enhanced sustainability and transparency - Science has a cost – expensive – should not be a one-time thing, so is a continuous investment and cost - Rol... Read moree of policy is to support that science so it can support a long-term sustainable and equitable seafood system - Potential to set up a Global Fund to support developing nations implement science-based food systems - Science should be integrated into operations of companies – should help to identify and solve problems and set priorities - Companies and scientists should promote species with higher nutritional value and lower environmental footprint. - In policy frameworks for sustainable food production, it is worth considering developing indicators for industry to provide data on nutrition per kg/ton produced as well as climate or biodiversity footprint per kg/ton produced - Greatest impact (and snowball effect through value chain) possible when science, industry and policy come together. - Time-bound strategies and goals need to be aligned with macro-goals as anchor points (e.g. SDGs) - Key standards set up in seafood industry (e.g. ASC, MSC) are based on science - Important to take a step back and consider global food distribution system, and implications of keeping some aspects more localized, and what type of impacts this would have on diets - Role of Blue Food in low carbon economy is also an important narrative, particularly in the context of COP26 and Food Systems Summit - 2050 is too far away, and action is needed now. - COVID19 is showing the importance of science in enabling transparency and traceability across value chains, including to small-scale production levels so that monitoring is possible throughout. - Potential for companies to seed incubators to develop and grow technology solutions - Benefits of SeaBOS are evident, particularly from a global focus, but important to also take regional focus when relevant - SeaBOS is helping to shift social norms within the seafood industry related to labor abuse, illegal fishing, etc. - Ultimately, science communicates how biosphere is the foundation for humanity and as well as all corporate activities, so underscores the need for stewardship by all Action tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Keywords: Seafood, Ocean, Finance, Policy, Governance, Environment and Climate Read less

(Topic 1): How do we arrive at a global food system in 2050 that has fully integrated sustainable seafood from fisheries and aquaculture? Discussions across four breakout groups addressed this question from different dimensions, with some of the key points and recommendations in bullets below: - Seafood sector is not good at telling stories. Its image is not good, and huge potential exists here, including by communicating its role in relation to other food systems, and its potential as a nutritious and healthy food option - But fundamental questions like “what is seafood” need to be effect... Read moreively communicated – this encompasses a huge diversity of species – over 3,000 – and each has its unique environmental footprint and nutritional value. - Aquaculture is playing growing role, but must be sustainable, and need to push frontiers to more mariculture and develop more sustainable feed ingredients - Focus on sustainability should be consistently broadened – it’s not just about environmental sustainability, but also social sustainability and human rights dimensions. - Large corporations have a responsibility to incorporate this into their criteria, policies, and practices, and in this regard, science based frameworks serve as an effective guide (e.g. ASC, MSC, Global GAP) - Large-scale / industrial and small-scale fisheries (SSF) shouldn’t be considered in isolation or as binary opposites, but require novel thinking related to their interconnections and attention to existing positive examples. - While industry, NGOs, civil society and others have a large role to play, ultimately leadership also needs to be taken by governments (and regional fishery management organizations, for instance) - Through engagement with entrepreneurs and clearer guidance by financiers and governments, there is more potential to fully incorporate seafood as an element of the global food system - Cold chains and transport of seafood should be a focus when considering how to achieve a more sustainable system that is transparent and traceable based on interoperable systems - Countries could consider establishing “Food Ministries”, rather than having separate ministries for agriculture and fisheries, to ensure holistic food policies. This can also be established through cross-governmental task forces. - Private sector needs to integrate local ecological knowledge, which may be something unfamiliar and challenging for companies. - Important to consider equity dimension of achieving food security goals and SDGs - Adequate and inclusive ocean management, using tools such as Marine Spatial Planning, is important to advance seafood in an increasingly busy marine environment Read less

- The seafood industry can contribute significantly to the UN’s vision of a healthier, more sustainable, equitable and inclusive food system for all – it has a fantastic story to tell on all aspects. Its problem is that it is not good at communicating this story. The UNFSS can contribute to change this and create an integrated arena for food from both land and sea. - In the food system debates, there is a need to connect land and ocean. - Food industry leadership based on science can result in climate resilience - Aquaculture has a big role to play in the future of food, and it is necessar... Read morey to push the frontiers of aquaculture towards more mariculture and a diversification of species, so that aquaculture also can be an ecosystem service provider. - Regeneration of oceans is a key component in scaling sustainable Blue Food. - Guidance from science is effective, it creates a snowball effect through the food value chain - Science-industry collaboration allows for the development of global frameworks that enable a sustainable development of seafood as well as access to funding. - Science provides the ‘guardrails’ for the seafood industry – paving way for a long-term strategy - Role of Blue Food in the low carbon economy is also an important narrative, particularly in the context of COP26 and Food Systems Summit - Co-production of knowledge creates conditions for action (on climate, antibiotics, endangered species, etc) - “Ocean stewardship” is becoming mainstream concept in the seafood industry (e.g. in the High Level Panel for Sustainable Ocean Economy, UN Global Compact) - Nobody owns the oceans, but if we all collaborate, we can make real change and avoid tragedy of the commons - There is a clear role of science for achieving the SDGs – without science-based decisions/data, we cannot have effective fisheries management and won’t achieve the targets - Retailers are furthest from the “problems” of the seafood industry, but closest to the public eye – they have a crucial connecting role as closest to scrutiny and consumers - Retailers have role of creating “safe space” – need to be able to ensure there is right due diligence in place along supply chains, and need to be able to adequately respond to customer and investor requests and questions, which are getting progressively more detailed, and science is key in responding - The industry-science collaborations that have worked well, share some characteristics: a clear task at hand, a clear and time bound strategy and goals that are aligned with other initiatives including the SDGs as a common anchoring point. - To really enable a sustainable food system, it is necessary to take a step back to understand the global food system distribution (e.g. local vs global, effect on diets of different policies). - Many of the main findings emerged during two breakout group discussions, which are described in detail in the following section. Action tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Keywords: Seafood, Ocean, Finance, Policy, Governance, Environment and Climate Read less

The focus of this Dialogue was to convene policy-makers, the seafood industry, retailers, science and civil society in an engaging discussion on the role of the ocean in producing the food we need for a healthy, sustainable, equitable and climate friendly food system. By sharing seafood industry perspectives on ocean stewardship and lessons learned from the science-industry collaboration SeaBOS (Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship), the objective was to contribute to positioning seafood at the heart of the food system debates and help mobilize the broader seafood industry to take an active ... Read morepart in food system transformation. Furthermore, the dialogue was designed to help identify key priorities for science-industry collaborative action to accelerate sustainable seafood production towards 2030. Much of the event involved active participation by invitees in facilitated conversations in breakout rooms with a focus on two topics. (Topic 1): How do we arrive at a global food system in 2050 that has fully integrated sustainable seafood from fisheries and aquaculture? (Topic 2): How can the SeaBOS science-industry model help support the seafood industry, its value chain and policy makers to take action towards accelerating more sustainable seafood production? The event was moderated by Martin Exel (Managing Director, SeaBOS), with keynote presentations by: Dr. Henrik Österblom (Professor, Science Director, Stockholm Resilience Centre), Dr. Darian McBain (Global Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Thai Union), Dr. Audun Lem (Deputy Director, Fisheries Division, FAO), Wenche Gronbrekk (Global Head of Sustainable Development, Cermaq Group, and Senior Advisor, Oceans, UN Global Compact) and Helena Delgado Normann (Responsible Sourcing Manager, Tesco). Action tracks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Keywords: Seafood, Ocean, Finance, Policy, Governance, Environment and Climate Read less

A number of tensions arose: - Definition of affordable food and fair prices, both for consumers and producers - Power of commercial interests, which prioritize profits over health and nutrition, which for example weakens attempts to regulate the marketing of unhealthy foods, and conversely a lack of agency of many people to make healthy and nutritious food choices - Power asymmetries due to corporate influence creates conflicts of interest - Role of animal agriculture in healthy and sustainable food systems Concerns mentioned: - Solutions that decouple the food systems with nutritional outcome... Read mores - Corporations undermining global health with cross-promotion and marketing - Policymaking is free from the undue influence of transnational corporations (Partnering on solutions with those who drive the crisis creates conflicts of interest) - Paths to progress will accept tiny changes in the system as big successes due to deference to vested interests - Aggressive marketing by retailers and food processing industry of products high in fat, sugar, and salt and other ultra processed foods - Reliance on pesticides and artificial fertilizers in addition to antibiotics Read less

Topic: Systemic action for human, animal and planetary health A source of both past and future pandemics is industrial animal agriculture or factory farming. Keeping thousands of animals crammed and confined creates the perfect breeding ground for disease. Industrial agriculture is also a major driver of deforestation, biodiversity loss, a consumer of more than two-thirds of the world’s antibiotics, and the biggest source of food waste. The pandemic has highlighted that overreliance on long, complex and consolidated supply chains reduces the resilience of food systems to disruptions. Short s... Read moreupply chains have also suffered due to the closing of informal and open-air markets, where most people in the Global South still obtain their food from. Prolonged closures of restaurants and schools, logistical disruptions, and shortages of migrant labor to harvest crops have resulted in unprecedented amounts of wasted agricultural output, which has reduced supply and led to increased food prices for consumers. Physical-distancing and lockdown measures have significantly reduced people’s incomes and global food demand. Poor dietary health is one of the most important risk variables impacting COVID-19 mortality. The virus disproportionately affects individuals struggling with obesity, overweight, diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Obesity, a condition exacerbated by the consumption of highly processed foods and beverages high in fats, free sugars and salt, increases the risks of hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Participants agreed on the need for a new food systems paradigm that improves the health of people and the planet, protects biodiversity and ecosystems, and is based on ecologically beneficial approaches to food production. Approaches such as agroecology and agrobiodiversity have proven to produce nutritious food with less external inputs, which means less pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, lower water consumption, reduced biodiversity loss, and healthier soils. In the context of pandemics, climate change and biodiversity loss, the following actions to target the system drivers were mentioned: - Promoting healthy and sustainable whole-food diets - Reducing consumption of animal-sourced meat and dairy, especially in overconsuming contexts (i.e, middle and high income countries), and supporting access to nutritious animal foods for those whose diets would benefit from a little more (i.e., low and middle income countries) - Shifting to agroecology and regenerative agriculture - Ending industrial animal agriculture For successful food systems transformation, participants emphasized the need to: - Place people and health at the center and create a sense of devolved ownership - Foster collaboration between business, finance, governments, the UN, civil society and farmers. - Set measurable targets by food companies for the reduction of livestock products, shunning those from factory farms and diversifying protein offerings - Ensure public and private finance only supports the transition toward nature-positive regenerative farming practices - Adopt multi-sectoral policies jointly created by the ministries of environment, agriculture, health, rural development, and other relevant areas to address human, animal and planetary health as one challenge - Direct subsidies to support regenerative practices and the uptake of alternative non-animal-sourced proteins - Shift investment in research away from marginal sustainable intensification to agroecology and regenerative systems Participants stated their hopes for the UN Food Systems Summit: - Set out a long term vision with political courage to uphold the public interest - Ensure equity and inclusion of leading regenerative farmers - Recognize that a "one size fits all" approach is not appropriate and that proposals are science-based, built on verified facts - Inspire action at all levels, especially at the community/local level - Accelerate diet-shifts away from a dependence on global industrial livestock and fishing practices towards plant-rich diets - Channel more resources towards regenerative farming systems Read less

Topic: How antimicrobials and increased emergence of zoonoses are diminishing animal health and exacerbating the human health and ecological crises Too much antibiotics and antimicrobials are used in food and health systems. Antimicrobials are used especially in intensive farming systems to enhance productivity—for routine mass disease prevention and to promote rapid growth in food producing animals. It is also used extensively on crops. This use or misuse is the result of our current relationship with food and how we produce it. It is about how animals are reared, if they have access to the... Read more outdoors, how many are stocked in a facility, how more resilient breeds are disappearing, and it's about our diets. This reliance increases the prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria in animals and people. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a silent pandemic that is affecting humans, animals and the environment. Our excessive dependence has caused our systems to become unsustainable and our treatments less effective, to the extent that it is projected to kill 10 million people each year by 2050. Perspectives were shared on approaches in the UK, Thailand and India to address these challenges. The UK adopted a collaborative multi-sectoral voluntary approach to antibiotic stewardship in livestock production, involving the government, industry, civil society and the public. As a result, antibiotic sales for food producing animals in the UK has fallen and it is now one of the lowest users of antibiotics in agriculture amongst those countries with a significant livestock farming industry. Collaboration and sharing best practices is key. Thailand has adopted a One Health approach by supporting multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary coalitions to manage zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance in food production systems. Following the 2004 avian influenza, Thailand established the National Executive Committee on Preparedness, Prevention and Response to Emerging Infectious Diseases chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister. The secretariat is composed of relevant departments from the Ministries of Public Health, Interior, Agriculture, and the Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation. The Office of the Food and Drug Administration established the Thailand National Strategy on AMR to regulate human food and animal feed and coordinate all concerned sectors including public health and all food animal health. The One Health approach has been further strengthened through the implementation of laws and regulations, i.e., at provincial levels to actively manage public health threats. Developing countries, such as India, and many in Africa, are not yet entrenched in over chemicalizing or over toxifying their food systems. Low and middle income countries face multiple challenges such as access to life-saving medicines, maintaining food productivity, and ensuring farmer livelihood security. They cannot afford pollution clean up or the high cost of medical treatments when common antibiotics have stopped working due to rising AMR. It is the responsibility of the global community to provide the right guidance and indicators to reflect a necessary reframing of our relationship with food and how we grow it. Participants agreed that we need food and health systems based on a preventative health agenda and holistic approaches that take into account interconnected challenges. This requires: - working towards the same goal through national strategic plans and committees, building a multi-disciplinary workforce, i.e., bringing together medical, veterinary, public health, pharmacists, field epidemiologists, farmers, fishers and other food systems actors, as well as effective law enforcement, effective risk communication, and a shift towards ecologically beneficial farming methods. - working across silos to create a common platform that fosters collaboration and innovation on a holistic, integrated approach. Participants voted on how One Health can be strengthened to address human, ecosystem and animal health, with the top 2 options being improving governance mechanisms and advocating for national One Health action plans. Read less

Topic: Malnutrition in all its forms—undernutrition and diet-related NCDs (including obesity) Perspectives were shared on approaches taken in Pakistan, Mexico and Nigeria. Pakistan faces a high prevalence of undernutrition as well as overweight and obesity, and other diet related non-communicable diseases such as diabetes. While the number of people experiencing hunger has decreased in Pakistan over the last 20 years, it has not translated into better access to or consumption of healthy foods, nor improved health outcomes. This has impacted the country’s health systems and the economy. Foo... Read mored system transformation requires policies that support economic growth and provide social protection. The government established a National Nutrition Coordination Council and the Prime Minister made malnutrition and stunting a priority by launching Ehsaas Health and Nutrition Conditional Cash Transfer Program for children under two and pregnant and lactating mothers. While Mexico has tackled undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies over the last 25 years, the prevalence of overweight and obesity doubled in adults and quadrupled in adolescents over the same period. Although it has implemented policy measures to reduce the promotion, accessibility and purchase of unhealthy and highly processed foods and beverages, it has not addressed the production and supply of healthy and sustainable food, healthy food processing, food waste, or healthy and sustainable diets. Thus, the government created a multisectoral program (GISAMAC), which includes the ministers of health, agriculture, environment, education and economy, as well as NGOs, academia, and UN organizations. The plan includes a package of interventions in agriculture (i.e., incentives for agroecology and small farmers, food loss, public procurement, regulation of glyphosate), health (i.e., targeting children’s first 1000 days, revised dietary guidelines, public awareness campaigns), food environments (i.e., taxing unhealthy processed foods, front-of-pack warning labels, food advertising restrictions), and school environments (i.e., space, curricula, and nutrition standards). The number of people in Nigeria facing acute food insecurity has increased due to COVID-19. Food insecurity leads to poor nutrition and many other negative health outcomes such as poor physical and cognitive development among children and diabetes, hypertension and obesity among adults. Food banks respond to population health needs by targeting the most vulnerable populations, especially in contexts without a social safety net. They address community health disparities through food and related services, serving as critical infrastructure for the healthcare, educational, economic, and social sectors. The Lagos Food Bank provides meals for students, and mothers and children living in underserved communities. It also empowers women through training on how to grow their own food and sell part of what they produce, which creates pathways for more self-reliance and community resilience. Participants agreed that current food systems have not eliminated undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, while contributing to the obesity and NCD epidemic and the deterioration of planetary health. We cannot solve the problem with isolated small interventions; we need a package of interventions based on systemic multisectoral, multi stakeholder approaches. Actions mentioned include: - Analyzing the type of food supported by public policy and investments and shifting focus from production of grains and tobacco for export to support for nutritious whole foods for local consumption. - Placing equity at the center of our solutions and especially targeting vulnerable communities. Ensure that basic services are provided to low income and vulnerable populations. The same communities that face food insecurity also lack access to sanitation, clean water and healthcare systems. - Collaborate with non-profits that work closely with local communities. Participants voted on the biggest opportunity for governments to address malnutrition in all its forms with the top option being an integrated approach to policy. Read less

The dialogue reflected on how COVID-19 has exposed the fragility of our food systems as well as the interrelated challenges of public health, food security and labour. The root of many of the world’s most pressing threats to human, animal, and planetary health have been unhealthy, inequitable and unsustainable food systems. “Building back better”, reducing the risk of future pandemics, and building long-term resilience requires bold leadership and commitment to both global health security and food systems transformation based on an integrated approach, addressing multiple challenges in a... Read more holistic way. Now is the time to address the root causes of food systems failures and, together, strengthen the demands for transformation with health at the centre. Three priorities arose: 1. Adopt a new narrative that nurtures health at every stage of the food system 2. Embrace a One Health approach that addresses the deep interconnections between humans, animals and the environment. 3. Work across sectors through social dialogue to harness the comparative advantages of governments, UN, the private sector and civil society to find collective pathways forward. This new narrative needs engagement by the health sector to position food systems transformation as a critical pathway to a healthy and resilient future. The way food is produced, distributed and consumed affects people’s health through five main pathways: 1. Unhealthy diets and food insecurity has an impact on multiple forms of malnutrition, such as diet-related noncommunicable diseases (including obesity), undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies; 2. Unsafe animal food production practices can lead to the spread of zoonotic pathogens and to antimicrobial resistance; 3. Unsafe and adulterated foods, including the ingestion of foods containing pathogens, chemicals, and toxicants, leads to several forms of foodborne disease; 4. Inadequate agricultural practices can lead to pollution of soil, air, and water and biodiversity loss; and 5. Growing, harvesting and transforming food exposes food workers to occupational hazards and may have an impact on their physical and mental health. It needs engagement by labour unions. Agricultural workers regularly face poor working conditions, high levels of working poverty, and lack of access to rights. In some countries they are specifically excluded from key legal protections, such as minimum wages, paid and/or parental sick leave, the right to organise or social protection. For the many casual or migrant agricultural workers, the situation can be even more precarious. Agriculture is one of the most hazardous sectors. It accounts for a large proportion of all fatal workplace accidents. Millions of agricultural workers suffer workplace injuries or poisoning by agrochemicals. Yet, despite all these risks, food and farm workers have continued to work during the pandemic, to ensure our food supply. In doing so they have increased their own exposure to COVID-19, as witnessed by the multiple virus outbreaks at food processing plants and farms around the world. Guaranteeing safe and healthy working conditions, better incomes, and greater protection for agri-food workers is critical, if we are to build food systems that can withstand current and future crises. It needs government ownership and accountability based on the articulation of a shared vision defined by common interests and values. Governments need to work across silos to address interlinked challenges, e.g., ensuring affordable, healthy and nutritious foods along with social protection and decent levels of income for all. Governments can manage complex trade-offs and synergies through the adoption of a package of policies and instruments that link food systems to the nutrition, health and climate agenda, to support food system workers, farmers and fisherfolks who often have poor labour conditions to organize themselves and create negotiating power, to make multinational companies accountable for their behaviour and impact across the whole value chain, to encourage employers to provide healthy and safe food for workers, maternity care for women, and health insurance for the whole family, and to make healthy and nutritious food more affordable and accessible than junk food and other highly processed foods. Governments need to understand spillover effects from policies and instruments, i.e., through the application of True Cost Accounting. It needs engagement especially by young people, students, and young professionals as agents of change and the carriers of the consequences of the decisions made by policymakers today. They see firsthand the impacts today and the implications for their future. They are calling for equitable, nutritious and sustainable food systems that provide healthy diets for all. They will be there to make their governments accountable for the commitments made but this means engaging them meaningfully in decision-making, policymaking, implementation and evaluation. Read less